There's this shop around me that collects & sells a bunch of random, old looking electronics inluding oscilliscopes and such. But this thing got me curious.. it's obviously something that came WAY before me (born in 90's), looks like it takes inputs that don't even exist anymore (?). But before they had full complete synthesizers, they had these seperate tone generators like this? Worth anything?

Tektronix is a maker of good quality electronics testing equipment. The square wave generator is typically used in troubleshooting to inject a signal into a malfunctioning device to uncover where signal losses occur with the use of an oscilloscope. The outputs are simple probe style connectors that are still available wherever testing equipment is sold. I'm not familiar with this exact device, if it does emit a signal in the audio range then it may be used for audio experimentation purposes although the signal may need amplification.

If you want to experiment with things of this nature I would recommend a general signal generator that can emit various kinds of waves. When learning about electronics, a common student project is to build your own from various schematics available out there in used textbooks.

garranimal is right. It looks late seventies/ early eighties. This would be used to test digital circuits. So it doesn't predate synthesizers. So this would would not be much use for music. General purpose "signal generators" as they are called, can be fun for sound effects. Get one with a vernier dial for frequency, and as garranimal says, one that can generate a range of wave shapes.

I've also heard these multi-wave devices called function generators. Also, a simple signal generator can be built from a ready made kit available at hobby stores and radio shack here in the US. For getting started in electronics it takes the headache out of sourcing all the individual components.

If you want to get serious with experimenting with circuits the Knight electronics mini-lab has a built-in function generator and can be had on ebay less than $100. I found mine in a pawn shop for $25.

I have a function generator; it's a Hewlett-Packard but I don't recall the model number off hand. It can generate square/pulse, tri/sawtooth, and sine outputs from sub-audio frequencies up into the low megahertz. The real fun comes with the modulation inputs -- you can make it do AM, sync, and various forms of frequency sweeps under control of a built-in LFO or an external voltage. (There's an FM input too, but it can only modulate about plus/minus 10%, so not much fun for audio purposes.)

I see function generators on eBay for $300-500 US, depending on model and condition.

schmidtc wrote:This is the Tektronix version of the Roland Juno 106. It will need all six voice chips replaced.

Tektronix have made some brilliant gear over the years. I have a 1960's Tek 500 series scope still working to this day and used on a number of sample projects as an tube based analog front end for impedance matching passive L/C resonator circuits for vocal formants for JMJ! (funily enough, in conjunction with a lab pulse generator) - a truly amazing vintage design - all aluminium construction, 70 tubes, silver solder on ceramic tag strip and a work of art inside! This is very pinnacle of tube design.....

That's really quite beautiful inside. There's about four 545Bs at work, gathering dust in a lab along with valve testers and vintage signal generators. A bygone age. The older analogue scopes are much better for teaching purposes than modern storage/ PC based types. Just like with synths, it's because there's a physical switch or dial for every function- no menu diving.

I think there are plenty of beautifully done modern surface mount designs as well though.